***** Vol.1 Chap.1 Drown in bubbles *****

Early spring, near future, Miami, Florida

Bubbles, bubbles, and more bubbles. Kristin looked this way and that way; but all she saw were bubbles. Yes, she was swimming in the middle of an ocean of bubbles. With no diving gears, no breathing apparatus, and no bulky atmospheric suit, except her birthday suit, she felt free, liberated, and thrilled to the utmost. No one was around; even if someone was, she would have cared less. In her blissful state, she refused to be disturbed. She somersaulted over a small rise and waved to a passing school of fish. Perfectly in tune with nature and all the living things, she found peace with herself and solace in her environment.

A large school of tunas circled around the reef, and she followed them. Then she spotted a group of dolphins. Yes, dolphins, her favorite. She dreamed of communicating with and cohabitating the ocean with them. After patting them on the back, they slowed to allow her to climb on board. She rode and chatted with them. They did not mind, but rather enjoyed her company.

Oh! Go to those reefs over there. They are majestic! Telepathic or otherwise, she understood her dolphin friends, and they responded to her effortlessly as well.

A cheerful conversation soon ensued with her newfound friends. They shared with her many things. With the warm water rich with nature provided nutrients, they loved this part of the ocean. After chatting for a while, they shared a secret with her. Now and then, bubbles would be released, scrubbing the ocean floor clean. Clueless, she nodded her head as though totally ignorant about bubbles cleansing the ocean floor. Politely, she nodded at their words since they obviously understand what they affirmed to her. After all, this ocean was their home, not hers.

More bubbles rose from the ocean floor now. Her ecstatic dolphin friends back-flipped, arched, and circled the reef among the bed of bubbles. Without a care and worry, nature cleansed their home, their world, their habitat. Even some bottom dwellers of the ocean came out from hiding to dance on the seafloor. What a celebration! What a festival!

Not one to miss such festive moments, Kristin also frolicked in the bubbles. In fact, she loved floating amid the foaming brushing past her body. The bubbles came and exploded when in contact with her body. Each tiny explosion gave her a curious sensation. More bubbles arrived, nudging her from all sides and gently rocking her. For a moment, she lived in suspended animation.

She tried to catch a bubble, but it gently slipped away. With her hands cupped like a pocket to catch a few bubbles, they simply escaped her fingers and her grip. She tried to herd a bunch of them together to form a bigger one, but to no avail. Playfully, the bubbles evaded her feeble attempts, though she giggled with delight throughout her attempts. She couldn’t contain her happiness as she merged with the ocean, a dream she longed for and a moment fulfilling her calling.

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Now, the fizzing of bubbles grew stronger. She could hardly see the reef and the ocean floor anymore. She tried to brush the fizz away from her face. Instead of gently massaging her body, the fizz bombarded her body, buffeting her face. She had a sense of being boxed in, claustrophobic, trapped, as if having been thrown into a soda bottle shaken roughly by an unseen hand. The wall of the bottle collapsing on her caused panic to set in. She wanted to run and escape, but nowhere to escape.

The ocean became boiling now. The intensity of the bubbles rushing up became forceful and hazardous. Simultaneously, she had the sensation of sinking lower and lower, perhaps drowning. Panic grew to a feverish pitch. This was about survival now. Thrashing her arms wildly to no avail, she tried to leap around, but the water hindered her movements. She tried to swim, but no matter how much she flapped her arms and legs, she kept sinking.

Right now, crying out for help seemed frivolous, since no one stayed within earshot of her. Her dolphin friends had long sought the safety of a distant reef where they looked back at the boiling sea. They marveled at the column of bubbles, and delighted in the cleansing action of the sea in carrying away everything dirty and rotten. Nature did a fine job of cleaning up what had been spoiled.

Oh, my dolphin friends, where are you? Please come here and save me. She tried to contact them in desperation.

No response.

Finally, it sank in that she was all alone, helpless, and desperately in need of rescue. She realized that this could be her end.

But I am too young to die. I don’t want to die without having realized my life’s goal yet!

Her past life flashed past her…

Help! Someone, please help.

She screamed, though no voice came out. She looked but could see nothing.

Help!

Tears welled up inside her as she contemplated her predicament and imminent end. She had such high hopes for the ocean to solve humanity’s problems. Too ironic that she ended in the very thing that she had her dreams set on. More tears streamed down her face as she realized she missed finding out the magnificence of her ocean and learning more about this very ocean that she loved. She squandered the opportunity to appreciate the beauty of the things inside this ocean.

She remembered her fish in her aquariums at home. A pain shot through her heart, causing her to be more depressed that no one would be there to feed her fish. Frustrated, she could do nothing in her situation.

If I cannot enjoy the ocean, let me at least be a part of the ocean. That idea comforted her slightly.

Resigned, she sat back and closed her eyes. She thought of her future or the lack of it because she could only sense darkness. In fact, she would soon become a part of the ocean. She felt unfulfilled.

Right before her last breath and letting everything go, she seemed to see out of the corner of her eye a giant bubble coming to her and enveloping her…